Jennifer

Ignore the Negative Reviews - this is a Keeper

Revisado: 08-05-23

This is an absolutely amazing novel. It’s funny and thought-provoking and infuriating and emotional and so true.

Reviewers who feel this is too preachy May be too young to have ever experienced any of the trials and tribulations which Elizabeth Zott and Miss Frisk encountered. Those who feel this is unrealistic have never experienced the sting of being dismissed or belittled or ignored or accosted because of gender. The struggle for equality may have come a long way, but the journey is not over.

The characters are not wooden. There are somewhat reserved aspects to the character of Elizabeth Zott, but that is because of her nature as a scientist and a rationalist rather than a “typically emotional” female. The other characters are extremely well developed, and the character of 6:30 is no less believable than some of the characters promoted by various religions (not just Christianity).

The interweaving of seemingly disparate plot threads is brilliant. By the end of the book, everything has been resolved, similar to the satisfactory resolution one finds in Bryce Courtenay’s works.

Yes, there were many other influential women in STEM who were not referenced in the book, but this is a story about Elizabeth Zott and her journey and her attempt to be taken seriously as a scientist in a world where the odds were stacked against her.

So much of this rings true - including the shock and effrontery of her wearing trousers instead of dresses.

If you are a woman (or a man or a human of whatever description) or have a daughter and have ever run up against the pink wall or pink ceiling, this book is a must-read. In fact, anyone who has run up against prejudice, the shame of a child born “out of wedlock”, the disapproval of “living in sin” (which resonates with the protagonist’s atheism), having to “dumb it down” or pretend to be less intelligent should read this.

It is such a great read that I continued listening far into the night and have purchased the Kindle edition to re-read at my leisure.

The narration is good in spite of a few mispronunciations. This is definitely worth the credit.

If you liked Where Did You Go Bernadette, this book may be a hit for you. It is quirky and heartfelt.

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Amazing must read

Revisado: 01-19-21

This is an incredible novel - it deserves 5 stars in every category. The multi-cast performance is brilliant and every narrator was perfect. The story is twisty but all comes together and reveals the tangled threads in a way reminiscent of Bryce Courtenay. I have purchased the next Lucy Foley based on the strength of this book alone.

Lucy Foley is an amazing and incredible writer. This is the best book I have listened to in a long time.

I don’t understand the lukewarm reviews. This novel is a tour de force and really is un-put-down able. If you like a well-crafted mystery / thriller with subtlety in the development of the plot line, this is a must-read.

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Yule love this book

Revisado: 12-25-18

Brilliant story. Brilliant performance. This is my annual festive seasonal favourite. If the Nightmare Before Christmas is your kind of Christmas movie, then this book is right up your alley. It’s worth having in audio and in print.

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Mind Blown

Revisado: 05-23-17

Wow. Just wow.

Fans of Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry and Mo Hayder's Hanging Hill will love this story.

Most of the story unfolds as a fairly intense psychological drama involving what appears to be a love triangle. But it's so much more than that.

It starts to depart from the standard "there's more to this marriage than meets the eye" theme prevalent in a lot of current writing.

Some people have criticized the emphasis on lucid dreaming and out-of-body experiences, but they are integral to the story and a full appreciation of what is going on.

There is one hint at the very beginning of the book which becomes clear and relevant at the end. Some of the threads through the book seem irrelevant and obscure, but everything is wrapped up tightly. Nothing in this story is wasted or extraneous.

It's a very clever and very creepy book and is well worth a listen. If you're not prepared to suspend your disbelief, then you won't enjoy this. But if you are, it's an amazing story with a deliciously creepy and twisted ending.

It's the kind of book you want to go back and listen to all over again from the beginning.

The narrators were good and did a great job with the characters.

All told, this is a definite winner.

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Stalkeriffic: Murderous, Psychotic and Deranged

Revisado: 07-30-15

Joe Goldberg is the most despicable, psychotic and deranged character I have encountered in fiction in a very, very long time. There is nothing redeeming or sympathetic about him. He is sick and twisted and obsessive and self-deluded and scheming and psychotic and sociopathic and emotionally stunted and .... and .... and ....

The story is told in the first person and is entirely addressed to Guinevere Beck (Beck). It recounts the dark and twisted tale of Joe's obsession with her and his gradual consumption of the obsession.

In terms of plot, it was predictable from early on, but that didn't stop the ride from being enjoyable (in a hideous masochistic kind of way). Things went from bad to worse and went downhill from there.

Through a chance encounter at the book store where Joe works, he meets Beck and becomes entranced and obsessed. Joe meticulously does away with all the people in Beck's life who appear to pose a threat to him and who stand in his way. No one is safe and nothing is sacred. According to the publisher's blurb, it's a dark erotic story and Beck has secrets of her own. But Beck's "secrets" are completely predictable and transparent and really do not balance the horror of Joe's desperate and murderous obsession.

Santino Fontana is an absolutely brilliant narrator. He is absolutely perfect for this novel. I don't know yet what else he's done, but I will definitely hunt it down (but not in a stalker-esque kind of way). Everything about Fontana's narration is brilliant. There were points when I wanted to turn it off, but Fontana kept me listening.

I'm glad it's over. There were no surprises in You. It's horrific but exceptionally well done. The writing is flawless. The narration is flawless.

You is less deceptive than Gone Girl, Girl on a Train and The Kind Worth Killing. What you see is what you get. But it keeps you listening to the bitter twisted end.

The book is very social media oriented, and should appeal to anyone with any kind of social media account. The various tweets and Facebook posts and emails are integral to the story and are realistic and well done. ("Smiley face.") But really, Beck, didn't you have a password on that MacBook?

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Crazy little liars

Revisado: 02-28-15

All the characters are crazy and they're all liars. The Girl on the Train is full of deliciously unreliable narrators.

I guessed the whodunnit part way through but that didn't detract from the way it all unfolded.

This is a fabulous book. I am going to turn around and listen to it again.

Highly recommended for fans of mysteries and thrillers.

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Good Primer on Viruses

Revisado: 09-22-14

Fans of Richard Preston will like this book. It's a very comprehensive primer on viruses and pandemics.

It has a bit of an academic tone and can be fairly heavy going, but it's very interesting and thought-provoking.

It's probably not too simplistic for scientists, and it's not too complex for the rest of us. Nathan Wolfe gets it just right.

It's thought-provoking and fascinating and has a good blend of the historical and the current.

I don't think I'll look at chimpanzees the same way again. Or hunting, for that matter.

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Fascinating and Well-Read

Revisado: 09-22-14

This is a great book. Most people will probably be drawn to it superficially because of the 9/11 connection. However, the 9/11 information is probably the least interesting part of the book. Most of what Dr. Melinek had to work with were tiny pieces and fragments.

The rest of the books is absolutely fascinating. There's just the right blend of clinical, interesting science, and riveting storyline.

For anyone who is squeamish or easily offended by death and dead bodies, this is probably not a great listen. But for everyone else, it's a good book. There's a lot of blending of Dr. Melinek's personal history in with the work she was doing.

At the end I was hoping she would write a follow-up about her experiences in California. To me that's the mark of a good book -- wanting another.

Two thumbs up!

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Reader's Digest Vignettes

Revisado: 09-22-14

I was hoping for something more clinical and less Readers Digest. These stories are in the vein of heart-warming, gently amusing and vaguely spiritual or uplifting.

The stories are fine for what they are, but they aren't an in-depth look at funeral homes, funeral directors and morticians. I was hoping for something more along the lines of Mary Roach's Stiff.

I don't think I'll bother finishing listening to these. Or I'll keep them for the category of audiobooks I can listen to while grocery shopping so it doesn't matter if I get distracted.

These are about as bland and vanilla as you could get.

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Slight sophomore curse

Revisado: 08-29-14

The storyline in the Silkworm isn't quite as compelling as it was in the Cuckoo's Calling. Part of that relates to the completely hideous plotline of Bombyx Mori and the way it is integrated throughout the novel.

The development of the relationship between Cormoran and Robin is very satisfying and multi-layered. The supporting characters are less dimensional, but they work.

The only irritating thing is the literary references /quotations at the beginning of each chapter. Okay, JK, we get it. You're a serious writer. I don't need convincing. I'm a card-carrying member of the fan club.

In all, it's definitely worth a credit. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

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